False labour? Limbo? What to do?

[glitterglitters]

Hey guys,

I'm 37+1 with dc2, for the last 24 hours I've been having regular Braxton Hicks contractions. Pretty regularly but not always painful (some have been, some have not). I've also had accompanying back pain (with the pain shooting down my legs on occasion) and the most hideous fanny daggers (take my breath away, scream into a pillow type thing).

My waters are intact but they feel strained, I'm getting so much pressure down there and feel like I need to push/go to the loo/god knows what.

I've had a bath and tried to rest but haven't been able to shake it off.

It's not absolutely agony but it's constant and painful, I can't stay still... relax... I can't eat (being sick). Baby has also been ridiculously active which has also caused more contractions when they kick. Sat on my birthing ball and rotating my hips and it's causing more stabby pains etc.

I've been losing my plug, but haven't had a show. I was 3/5 engaged last Monday when I saw the midwife and she said she didnt expect me to get to my next appointment (38+2 next Wednesday).

The problem is, it doesn't feel like full blown labour did with my first but at the same time, it still feels like it's more than just false labour.

I've text my midwife but haven't heard back from her yet. I have to be careful about deciding to go in as I have to pull my father in law out of work to watch my daughter and I don't want to call him over nothing etc.

With my first I had a couple of false starts and it really upset me, that was when I was overdue as well so I'm only just term and I can't help but feel this is in my head. Gah I don't know.. What would you do?

[glitterglitters]

Also, if this is false labour I have no idea how I'm going to function as a human being let alone as a parent for up to the next 4+ weeks if this is constant!

[SleepymrsE]

Didn't want to read and not respond. I was in a similar position to you OP when I had my DC2 last year. With DC1 my waters broke spontaneously at 38 weeks and then very strong contractions started. With DC2 I had lots of periods of strong braxton hicks, very regular, some a bit painful but some not. I would tone them and be on the verge of calling the labour ward and then they would tail off. This happened over a period of a couple of weeks until DD arrived just shy of 40 weeks. I did try the old bath thing - had a relaxing bath, if the contractions stopped it's false labour but if they ramp up it's the real thing. I hope for you it is the real thing and your baby doesn't make you suffer longer than necessary. For what it's worth my labour wasn't that long so all the braxton hicks was doing something. Good luck OP.

[glitterglitters]

Thanks for the reply @sleepymrse My first was a full day of contractions, then sent away, waters broke the minute I got home and she was born within 3 hours.

I think when I do "go", I'll go quick but I just feel like I can't function at the moment. DH is being as helpful as possible but I can't even cook a meal it's that tiring and uncomfortable. Bit miffed I've not heard back from the midwife either as she made a big deal of being able to contact her at the drop of a hat (something I hadn't expected, she is covering for my normal midwife).

I feel like I should at least go and get examined for the pressure feeling and baby's movements at the least, if only to tell me I'm a long way off and then I can formulate a plan of how to cope.

I'll try and have a soak after dh gets up (I sent him to bed for a lay down as he's barely had any sleep lately. My bh have been regular for the last 24+ hours however I've been getting them every night for weeks now, it's just constant now)

[SleepymrsE]

How are you getting on after your bath glitters? Any progress?

[RosePrincess87]

This was me 2 weeks ago. Had a full 24 hours of contractions then they stopped. Had daily 'BH' for 2 weeks now. Feels like baby is literally diving down my cervix. Not dilated at all! Feel like I've been in labour for 2 weeks now.

DC1 was nothing like this. Don't know how much longer I can cope.

[InDubiousBattle]

Oh op you have all my sympathies. You've taken me back two years to when I was heavily pregnant with dd. From 37 weeks I was getting false starts, regular strong BH etc. She was breech until 36 weeks and her turning seemed to set in motion endless bloody discomfort. I had to have weekly scans as she was small and at the 38 week one the registrar was considering sending me to labour ward. At 39 weeks I begged the registrar for a sweep which she gave me and said 'don't make plans for the rest of the day!. Nothing. Dd arrived at 40+5, 5 hours from first (humongous)contracton to the birth, lovely experience (hurt like fuck but still)with no tears and and easy recovery. Mw said that a lot of 'the work' had been done.

Those last 3/4 weeks were and nightmare, constantly uncomfortable, constantly putting babysitters 'on call', just waiting...

I had many baths, lots of waddles/walks, lots of sitting about. Do whatever you need to do to feel better, take aways, take up any offers of help. I'm going to sound bonkers but the night I actually went into labour was the night after my sister finished work for the summer (teacher) so became fully available for taking care of dc. Our alternatives weren't very easy and part of me thinks my body was 'waiting' until ds was taken care of!

[glitterglitters]

Thanks for the replies. Nothing doing as of yet. My midwife text me back just saying it sounds like my body is preparing for labour, which makes sense, bit only call the hospital if "you're having regular , intensifying contractions or your waters break".

I've got all my childcare sorted but have a bit of work I need to get done before I go "off". I'm just finding it so hard to concentrate though with the lack of sleep etc. I wonder if I get that done it'll help.

I'd just kill for s decent nights sleep mainly!

[TallRedhead]

Has baby arrived yet ?